Fluid-operated clutch.



C. IVI. WARD.

FLuln'oPEmrEn'cLucH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4 |915- Lgl. Patented 2Q 1918.

iD STATES 'PA CHARLES m. WARD, or cLEvELANn, omo.

FLUID-OPERATED CLUTCH.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Application led August 4, 1915. Serial No. 43,505. f

To aZZ whom 'it may concern: l f

Be it known thatl, CHARLES M. WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing .at

Cleveland, in the county- Iof, Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Fluid-Operated Clutches, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to clutches, andhas for its object to provide a clutch of simple design which is self contained and is operated by means of fluid pressure, and is therefore not only easily controlled and quick in action, but most practical and eiiicient for many purposes, especially for lathes andV i y2---2 of Fig. 1, and

l elongated sleeve 2, the outer Fig`. 3 is a' face view of the fluid pressure head.

In the drawings like characters of reference `indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the spindle of a lathe or other similar machine; or any other shaft, which is adapted to be driven and it is necessary to start and stop quickly. Fixed to this spindle 1s an enlarged hub end 3A ofwhich carries a plurality of inwardly' inclined spiderarms 4, which support a beveled ring 5. Said elongated sleeve is secured to the spindle by'means of a set screw 6, or in` any other suitablegmanner.

-Loosely mounted upon the inner end of the elongated sleeve 2 is a driving pulley or belt wheel 7, which is hollowed out and its inner peripheral surface' beveled at 8, to correspond with the beveled ring '5 and fit over the sameto lock the driving pulley to said beveled ring in the usual manner.- The other side of the driving pulley 7 is bored out at 9, thereby leaving a web or diaphragm .10, and integral therewith a bushing 11,

which preferably extends a little beyond the edge of the driving pulley. Rotatably mounted upon the bushing 11 and within the bored outiportion 9 of the driving pulley, is a flanged disk 12 having a boss 13 of the same length as the bushing 11. The inner surface ofthe boss 13 is provided with avplurality of longitudinal grooves or ports 14, for admitting fluid pressure to the` space Patented Jan. ze, 191s.

15 between the disk 12 and the diaphragm 10 of the driving pulley, to force the beveled vsurface 8 thereof into locking engagement w1th the beveled ring 5, to drive the shaft,

as will be hereinafter explained. In order to make the-joint between-the bored out porl tion 9 of the driving pulley and the {langed disk 12 air tight, the flange of said disk-is provided with ordinary split packing rings designated by 16.

Fluid pressure is introduced to the grooves 14 by means of a circular head 17, one face of which is provided with a circular recess 18 for covering the inlets of the grooves, and thereby leaving innerandouter circular walls 19 and 20, which abut respectively the ends of the elongated sleeve 2 and the boss 13 of the anged disk 12. Said head is adapted to remain stationary, while the spindle 1 may rotate therein. Depend- 4lng from the head is a stem 21 having an opening 22 therethrough, which leads vto the v.

- circular recess-18 of the head. The free end of this stem is threaded at 23 for connection to the luidpressure supply line. It is desirable to be able to regulate the fluid pressure admitted to and exhausted from the clutchv so that it will operate at the most provided with a control valve 24, of the usual three-Way the escape' of the same.V A collar 25 is lixedly secured to the spindle 1 by'means of a set screw hold the end of the inner circular wall 19 of the head 17 against the end of the elongated sleeve 2. A' coiled spring 27 interposed between the enlarged hub end 3 of the elongated sleeve and the diaphragm l10 of the driving pulle'y, normally keeps the peripherall beveled surface 8 of the latter out of engagement with the beveled ring.l

The manner of operation will be brieliy explained In practice the parts are'` as shown, except that the diaphragm 10 of the driving pulley engages the face of the flanged disk 12 due to the action of the coiled spring the fluid pressure is cut type which may be turned.l

to admit the proper fluid pressure or permit eiiicient speed, and therefore the stem 21 is. f

26, in such relation that .it will 11o l 27. Whenthe admission of olf, lthe driving pulley 7 is' running loosely on the elongated sleeve 2 and the spindle 1 is at rest. As soon as luid pressure is admitted to the head 17,'

it enters the grooves 14 and exerts force against the diaphragm of the driving pulley, thereby causing its beveled peripheral surface 8 to lockingly engage the beveled ring 5 and drive the spindle 1. Upon shutting oil' the fluid pressure and at the same time allowing the circular recess 18 to be exhausted through the control valve 24, the coiled spring 27 will force the driving pulley out of engagement with the beveled ring, and the driving pulley will rotate freely on the bushing 11, whereby the spindle Will come to a standstill. y

Although the elements set forth and described are Well adapted to accomplish the intended results, it is to be understood that slight changes inthe details of construction w and arrangement of the parts may be made Within the scope of the claims.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim is:

` 1. The combination with a rotatable spindle of a driving pulley rotatablysupported.

y thereby and adaptedto slide longitudinally thereon, means fixed to the spindle adapted to be engaged by the driving pulley, the driving' pulley being bored out at one side, a vdisk Within the 'bored out portion of the driving pulley, the disk being provided With ports leading to the bored outportion of the driving pulley, a head upon the spindle 35- the driving pulley, a'head upon the spin-A dle, and-engaging said disk, the head having a recess therein communicating with said ports, the head being stationary, and means carried by'said head for controlling Y the fluid pressure admitted thereto, sub-l -stantially as described.

43. The combination with a rotatable spindle oit' an elongated sleeve iXed thereto, a

i beveled ring carried bythe sleeve, a driving pulley loosely mounted upon the elongated sleeve and `adapted to slide longitudinally thereon, the-driving pulley having a beveled surface adapted to lockingly engage said beveled ring, the driving pulley'being bored out thereby leaving a diaphraand bushing, a 'disk Within the bored out portion of the driving pulley and rotatably mounted upon the bushing, the disk being provided With grooves adjacent said bushing, and means for introducing a fluid pressure to said grooves for forcing the beveled surface of the driving pulley into locking engagement With said beveled ring and said means be ing stationary and engaging said disk, substantially as described.

4. rlhe combination With a rotatable spindle of an elongated sleeve fixed thereto, a beveled ring carried'by thesleeve, a driving pulley loosely mounted upon `the elongated sleeve, and adapted to slide longitudina'lly thereon, the drivingpulley having a beveled surface adaptedv to lcckingly engage said beveled ring, the driving pulley being bored out thereby leaving a diaphragm and bushing, a disk WithinV the bored out portion of the driving pulley andy rotatably mounted upon the-bushing, the

disk being provided With grooves adjaceniL said bushing, a stationary head loosely mounted upon the spindle,`the head having a circular recess communicating with said grooves, the head A4abutting said disk and the end of said sleeve, the head having a stem, the Vstem being provided with an opening leading .to said circular recess, and a plug arranged in said stem for controlling the admission of the fluid pressure, substant-iallyv as described.

5. The combination With a rotatable spin- .dle of an elongated sleeve'Xed thereto, a

beveled ring carried by the sleeve, a driving pulley loosely mountedv upon the elongated sleeve and adapted to slide l'ongi- Y tudinally thereon, the driving pulley having a beveled' surface adapted to lockingly engage said beveled ring, the driving pulley being bored out thereby leaving a diaphragm and bushing, a disk Within the bored out portion of the driving pulley and having a boss rotatably mountedupon the bushing, the boss of the disk being provided with grooves adjacent said bushing, a stationary headloosely mounted upon the spindle, the head having a circular recess communicating with said grooves, the headabutting the end of said bossand 'the end of said sleeve, the head having a stem, the lstein being provided with an opening lead- \ing, to said circular recess, a control plug arranged in said stem, and a spring on said sleeve tending to vforce the beveled surface lof the driving pulleyl'out of engagement with said beveled ring, substantially as described.

ture.

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ln testimony whereof li ax my signa- 

